The present invention generally relates to apparatus for diminishing and/or preventing erosion to concrete and metal bridge support structures, and more particularly to plates positioned in covering relation to bridge beams and pillars in order to prevent water, salt, the freeze/thaw cycle, dissolution by acid rain/snow and other eroding elements from infiltrating and degrading the concrete and metal structures.
Bridges regularly undergo maintenance and reconstruction to ensure that they are safe for travel. Primarily what needs to be maintained are the columns and beams which support the bridge's road surface. A combination of heat, cold, rain, snow, acid rain and ice, in addition to the presence of salt cause the concrete and metal structural supports to naturally rust and/or degrade.
In order to minimize the damage to bridges caused by these naturally occurring elements, several pieces of apparatus to be added to a bridge's construction have been proffered. Most of the proposed apparatus is embodied in the form of a covering to be placed over the various bridge members that need protection from the elements. Examples of such bridge covering apparatus can be readily seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,098,243 to Freeny; 319,798 to Dennis; 173,361 to Spaulding; 132,972 to Mills and Smith; and 54,004 to Monroe. Those apparatus and the others in this field of invention were generally and necessarily conforming to the bridge structures of their day, which are, due to the prevalence of modern day automotive vehicles, among other things, somewhat different from the bridge structures of today.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an apparatus effective at diminishing the rate of degradation currently realized by bridge support structures.
It is a further object and advantage of the present invention to provide a system of bridge beam and pillar covers which are easily and inexpensively manufactured.
It is another object and advantage of the present invention to provide a system of bridge beam and pillar covers that may either be retrofit onto existing bridges or installed in a new bridge construction.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will in part be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.